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CYNTHIA Bizure, the owner of Jan Jam and a well-known fashionista and philanthropist, has praised hard-working women who focus on their businesses.
Giving a free lecture to aspiring fashionistas and entrepreneurs in Harare last Friday, the Jan Jam owner encouraged aspiring fashion entrepreneurs to think creatively and outside the box, especially during times when the market forces are not in their favour.
Bizure believes in studying market trends and maintaining good relationships with her clients.
She is not afraid of competition, nor does she hesitate to reinvent her business to attract new customers.
She bemoaned the presence of haters in the industry and emphasised the importance of unity and collaboration for success in the fashion business.
As a successful entrepreneur, Bizure has dressed numerous local celebrities, and supported various awards ceremonies such as ZIMAS, NAMAS and the Hip Hop awards with costumes.
An influencer in her own right, Bizure started off as a second-hand clothing vendor, selling from a car boot until she established several shops in Harare.
“As a fashionista and stylist, I always study market on what is trending on the global fashion scene. I am always in touch with my clients, especially the female customers who want to look good all the time.
“The last thing I consider is pricing, which plays an important factor, especially to my loyal customers,” she said.
Bizure, who travels a lot overseas for new orders, is not scared of competition.
“I do what my clients want when it comes to pricing as well as choices of orders. For instance, I have slashed most prices of ladies’ wear, but the prices in the men’s shop remain the same.
“I also look for tips from some people who started way before I came into the game as well as researching a lot to ensure that we are not caught napping.”
She expressed dismay at the increase in the number of people that want to pull her down.
“In this fashion business, you need to be strong because there are people who don’t want to see us write our success stories.
“For instance, there was someone who circulated a message on social media saying that I was now a spent force after slashing my prices and displaying part of my stock outside the shop.
“It’s a new marketing strategy that I have devised to ensure that I reach out to more people. In this business, one needs to think outside the box because everything is evolving.
“I don’t pretend as if everything is well when it is not. I should be able to pay rent and my employees from the same hustle.”
Bizure believes in synergies and unity for the survival of their industry.
“Without unity, innovation and hard work, we will go nowhere. As fashionistas, we need each other and not pull each other down.
“Competition is healthy, but nothing beats customer satisfaction and appreciation. We also need to learn new languages since we travel a lot to new places.”
Online Reporter